China has taken a lead in the world in the research and development of high performance computers. So far, there have emerged a large number of high performance computer brand names, such as Galaxy, Dawning, Deep Comp, etc. However, most of the publicly reported Tera-scale super computers use CPU chips made by foreign companies such as IBM, Intel and AMD. To meet the needs of building the first class research oriented universities and with a view to establishing a high level public scientific calculation platform, the Department of Computer Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China and the Institute of Computing Technology, CAS have been closely cooperating since May this year in the form of “Combination of Department and Institution” under the support of the “985 Projects” of the Ministry of Education, in the designing of home made Tera-scale computer using 64-digit “Loongson 2F” which represents the highest level of high performance general purpose processor so far in China. After months of hard work at high pressure and efforts at technical breakthrough, the research team led by Academician Mr. Chen Guoliang eventually announced their success recently.
Using single cabinet and integrating 336 “Loongson 2F” processors, “KD-50-I” Tera-scale high performance computer has the theoretic peak computing capability of TeraOPs. Using high density node design technology, the complete set has an advanced overall system -1U12P high density node structure, which is made up of 12 processing units compactly laid out inside the 1U standard cabinet Besides “Loongson 2F” which was independently designed by our country, the hardware system also includes gigabit Ethernet switch developed by Huawei on its own, and “Dawning” server as front end processor. The system software of KD-50-I is mainly open source software, highly compatible and easy for maintenance, upgrading and usage.
“KD-50-I” Tera-scale high performance computer is characterized by low floor space, low power consumption, low cost and high computing density, and hence it is especially suitable for applications in high performance calculation education and scientific research, and the cultivation of innovative talented personnel. It can be directly extended to applications in such fields as mathematics, physics, chemistry, geo science, space science, bio science, material science, dynamics, fire safety science, quantum and information science, military science, and various domains of national economic construction, and it will provide good services for the ever increasing requirements for large scale, high density and high performance calculation in China. With its above-mentioned features, it enjoys a very good prospect for future development, as it requires fairly simple conditions for application and is easy to promote and use.
As the first ”Loongson” based TeraFLOPS high performance computer system in China, “KD-50-I” Tera-scale high performance computer is the first successful attempt in the notion of personalizing high performance computers. It establishes the core status of home made high performance general purpose processor in high end parallel machine application, and serves as a model for the future development of home made Peta-scale computer and the enhancement of China’s capability of independent innovation. It is strategically significant to the development of our national high performance computer industry and to our national security.
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